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Has anyone else seen the book "The Shimmering Sword" in the stores? It's supposed to be a book on lightsaber technique (assuming they actually existed)...I just can't bring myself to buy it

Bronson

Bronson,

I know the author, Nick Jamilla, and I have practiced with him many times at Aikido Shobukan Dojo in Washington, DC. Nick is a sincere and dedicated aikidoka and kendoka, as well as an intelligent and thoughtful writer and Star Wars fan. His book is quite enjoyable --- I highly recommend it!

It's Nick Jamilla, author of Shimmering Sword. Why haven't you bought the book yet? Get it at Amazon.com (Shimmering Sword) .

My book doesn't go into lightsaber forms. If you want David West Reynold's creation of those forms (which are vague, general descriptions of movement not kata per se), you should go to: Jedi Fighting Styles. I don't agree with the premise from which he created the descriptions. He parsed the movies and formulated a hierarchy of moves.

My book is about fencing, honor, and Star Wars. It discusses swordsmanship historically and examines real world precedents for the Jedi from the point of view of Western fencing and Japanese swordsmanship. You can go to the webpage at: Shimmering Sword.com

I did create lightsaber choreography for an independent fan film called Revelations (Revelations Homepage). It includes an Interview as well as a trailer for the film which will be released for download on April 16, 2005.

As for all the other references, especially to aikido being a precedent for Star Wars Jedi, it's just not there. People can make all sorts of comparisons to so-called martial art, or specifically aikido, references in Star Wars, but there are no direct connections. Obi-Wan being derived from Obi-san kendo gi, influences from O Sensei and Rinpoche, etc.are references that I've never come across during my research. There are borrowings generally from Japanese (and Asian) culture but none specifically mentioned as direct influences on Lucas. Apart from Joseph Campbell's writings, Lucas has remained silent on the specific books he's consulted when creating his universe. The same for the writers who have helped him finish off his scripts. The previous mention of Yoda's eyes being inspired by Einstein's eyes, however, is true.

The similarity between the Jedi and my own experience with ki, aikido, and kendo do seem to find parallels in Star Wars, which is how I began linking martial arts and Star Wars in my writings. But hearsay connections and wishful thinking do not make good research.

My book doesn't go into lightsaber forms. If you want David West Reynold's creation of those forms (which are vague, general descriptions of movement not kata per se), you should go to: Jedi Fighting Styles. I don't agree with the premise from which he created the descriptions. He parsed the movies and formulated a hierarchy of moves.

Actually, these are the official Jedi forms within the Star Wars Universe not just made up by some fan. Checkout the game book for Knights of the Old Rebuplic II: Sith Lords at your local Best Buy.

Anne Marie GiriWomen in Aikido: a place where us gals can come together and chat about aikido.

What makes a Star Wars universe feature "official"? My fan-dom has never gone beyond sincere admiration of the original movies (never read the books or played the games). But having made that disclaimer, in my mind, nothing is official unless it comes straight from George Lucas, at least as long as he is alive and still producing material.

If there were light saber styles, I expect they would be quite different from Earth fencing styles in a number of regards. This would just be inherent in the nature of the weapon. First, unlike metal swords, all points of the light saber are equally dangerous. Second, the light blade cuts through just about anything except another light saber, and requires no force at all (other than THE FORCE) to make a cut. And aside from the fighting aspect of light saber usage, there may be some utility arts like the art of opening blast doors by penetrating them with the light blade until they just melt away (see Episode I). Perhaps you could also use the light saber to boil water? Just how many BTUs are given off by one of these things anyway?

I'm no expert on japanese sword arts either, but as far as I can tell, in an ideal encounter, there will be very little fencing. The duel is over before it has even begun, with only one or two strokes being made by either combatant. Obviously, that is not the case in the light saber duels we've seen on film.

What makes a Star Wars universe feature "official"? My fan-dom has never gone beyond sincere admiration of the original movies (never read the books or played the games). But having made that disclaimer, in my mind, nothing is official unless it comes straight from George Lucas, at least as long as he is alive and still producing material.

Nick was more accurate to say that these Forms are "Expanded Universe", and I'm not sure how "canon" these are as to people really get into hugh debates as to what is and is not canon in the Star Wars Universe. But they are part and parcel of the LucasFilm Licensing and therefore has George Lucas' stamp of approval. That to me is enough to be "official".

"Official" I believe that it is something sanctioned by George Lucas. I believe if it has a LucasFilm seal on it then he has technically approved it. There are the movies (Ep. 1-6) and then there is the "Expanded Universe". Expanded Universe material are those materials that fall outside the movies which include books, comics (graphic novels), cartoons (i.e. the Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network), video games. If you really want to get into some debates on that matter check our www.theforce.net Go to their forums (Jedi Council Discussion Boards).

Regarding the Lightsabe Forms, if you go to the link that Nick provided you will find a reference to "Forms" there are seven in all and have names, too. They are more like "Styles" than katas and are used depending on the circumstances. One would use Form I against multiple opponents and Form VII against another Force user (one on one combat) with a lightsaber but not against multiple users because a Jedi is then vulnerable to other attacks while too busy focusing his/ her use of The Force. The seven Forms outlined in KOTOR:II -- The Sith Lords (which is a Lucas Arts Video game)(which has essentially adapted the Forms spelled out in the Star Wars Insider Magazine) are:
Shii-Cho (Form I)
Makashi (Form 2)
Soresu (Form 3)
Ataru (Form 4)
Shien (Form 5)
Niman (Form 6)
Juyo (Form 7)
The game itself describes each form but if you go to the above link you'll get a good description, too.
It's my understanding that the First Form is supposed to be the most equivalent to how we practice martial arts. BUT, all the other "Forms" are based on one's mastery of "The Force", which of course does not exist in our real world lives -- only found within the fantasy of the Star Wars Universe.

It's my understanding that Mark Hamill trained in Kendo before filming Empire and in the Prequel films the stunt coordinator (Nick Guillard?) has stated that he has taken from different martial arts to get a feel for different styles. Apparently, Count Dooku's style was supposed be modeled after fencing, Darth Maul had a big wushu influence thanks to Ray Parks. I believe in the next film, if you saw the Ep. III trailer we will get see Force vs. Force fighting (Anakin v. Obi-wan) and not just your traditional japanese sword fighting.

Anne Marie GiriWomen in Aikido: a place where us gals can come together and chat about aikido.

I love it!! You've got me thinking about the practical applications of a light saber...better than a Ginsu steak knife..."it slices, it dices, it cooks ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!"
You could use it to cauterize wounds, light your way in the dark, maybe a white noise generator (AND take care of the forces of darkness)...kind of a Slacker's Jedi...I bet if you're in a dark room and wave it around really fast, you can write your name...

As I understand it, Lucas basically "sampled" a Kurosawa film (or possibly two or three) to make Star Wars.

I don't know anything about the "martial art" of the Jedi's (I can't help but laugh when I say that).

I guess Lucas actually said that Kurosawa was a heavy influence on the movie/s. However, after watching "The Seven Samurai," I can't believe that there's any authentic martial principles taken from Kurosawa--drastic difference between sword fights that last one cut and sword fights that are fought like a dance: 1,2,3,4, and 1,2,3,4, and high,low, right, left, and low,high, left, right...

However, when the Death Star grips the ship with Obi, Luke and cast in the tractor beam, that was definitely "enter when pulled."

Actually according to starwars.com lightsabers don't emit heat until they touch a solid object (i.e. walls, blaster barrels, etc.) It would be cool if you could though... all the way!

So they'd heat ice? and liquefy it? But wouldn't heat liquid oxygen? But they would heat dry ice? Cut dry ice floating in a bed of liguid oxygen and it would only sublime the dry ice leaving the liquid oxygen the same temperature???

So they'd heat ice? and liquefy it? But wouldn't heat liquid oxygen? But they would heat dry ice? Cut dry ice floating in a bed of liguid oxygen and it would only sublime the dry ice leaving the liquid oxygen the same temperature???

Man, they must be magic!!! Carry on.

Hell i dunno! Must be magic...

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.
-Barry LePatner